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A Day On The Catapults...

BigIron

BigIron

Remotely piloted
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
pilot was an ignoramus. A/C not even attached to catapult shuttle.
 
Brett327

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
A repost, and one that hardly merits its own thread. That said, if there is any discussion or sea stories folks have to tell regarding various catapult shenanigans, we can keep this thread open.

Brett
 
Single Seat

Single Seat

Average member
pilot
None
Ya, how about shooting a Hornet without the launch bar seated in the shuttle (or that's the theory I heard, it was night, I didn't see it personally). Shuttle hit the end of the stroke at something like 240 knots. Cat was down for a week.

Can't blame the dude in the video. Guys got < 10 traps, and his bucket was full. At least it was if he's anything like I was. First time to the boat is sensory overload.
 
Nose

Nose

Well-Known Member
pilot
Actually heard on a dark, dark night. 304 was VFA XO:


304: Boss, 304.
Boss: Go ahead 304.
304: Are my lights on?
(Pause)
Boss: Uh, I don't see any lights on...
304: Then why am I flying?


Shooter got itchy and shot the guy before he turned on his lights. XO said it surprised the hell out of him, he was 200 feet in front of the boat at 60' AGL when he realized what happened.
 
Single Seat

Single Seat

Average member
pilot
None
Wow, I can't believe he had the composure at that point to come up with something like that.

Although the hard to believe portion of that is that none of the QA personnel give a thumbs up (or wand up) until the exterior lights come on, and the shooter doesn't touch the deck until he's checked everyone one of them. BigIron?
 
BigIron

BigIron

Remotely piloted
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
Single Seat said:
Wow, I can't believe he had the composure at that point to come up with something like that.

Although the hard to believe portion of that is that none of the QA personnel give a thumbs up (or wand up) until the exterior lights come on, and the shooter doesn't touch the deck until he's checked everyone one of them. BigIron?
Click to expand...

That's true.
 
SteveG75

SteveG75

Retired and starting that second career
None
Oh, and sometimes the cat does not even need to fire for an interesting day.

Tailpipe came apart while at high power in tension. Nice fire.
a6500.jpg
 
Nose

Nose

Well-Known Member
pilot
Single Seat said:
Although the hard to believe portion of that is that none of the QA personnel give a thumbs up (or wand up) until the exterior lights come on, and the shooter doesn't touch the deck until he's checked everyone one of them. BigIron?
Click to expand...


"Shooter isn't supposed to..." I think you meant.

Shooter was in the bubble, all warm and cozy on a dark cold night.
 
P

phrogpilot73

Well-Known Member
Nose said:
Actually heard on a dark, dark night. 304 was VFA XO:


304: Boss, 304.
Boss: Go ahead 304.
304: Are my lights on?
(Pause)
Boss: Uh, I don't see any lights on...
304: Then why am I flying?


Shooter got itchy and shot the guy before he turned on his lights. XO said it surprised the hell out of him, he was 200 feet in front of the boat at 60' AGL when he realized what happened.
Click to expand...
This sounded familiar... So I did a search... I read something similar in Approach when I was still on Active Duty, does it happen often?
 
Nose

Nose

Well-Known Member
pilot
A4sForever said:
Seems to me like shooters might have been more "involved" when they were up close & personal .... just sayin' .... :)


a6catwe6.jpg
Click to expand...

Completely concur. I am willing to bet Oyster's barricade started with a shooter that wasn't topside and didn't "walk the cat" before the launch began.

PS Nice flying turkey leg.
 
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